I had a chance to use the new Asus ROG Ally X at Computex 2024, and it’s a bigger upgrade than you’re probably expecting.
We’ve known for a couple of weeks now what the ROG Ally X entails. It’s using the same Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip under the hood, the same 7-inch 1080p display up front, and an overall build that’s similar to the original model. It comes with some spec bumps, but this is a refresh, not a new generation. After using the ROG Ally X at Computex 2024, however, I can’t wait to pick up the handheld for myself.
In the same way that the Steam Deck OLED is the definitive edition of the Steam Deck, the ROG Ally X is the definitive edition of the ROG Ally. But Asus goes further. There’s a massive increase in battery life that could make this the longest-lasting handheld on the market, a suite of software fixes, and even a little extra performance.Yes, a performance bump
Let’s talk about that extra performance because it’s an aspect of the ROG Ally X that hasn’t gotten much attention. You’re getting the Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip just like the original model, that’s not changing, but there’s still extra performance potential here. That comes down to the RAM. You’re now getting 24GB of LPDDR5x, and it’s faster at 7,500 MT/s. That has some big implications.
The Ryzen Z1 Extreme is a system-on-a-chip (SoC), and both the CPU and GPU share a memory pool. On the original model, dedicating more of the memory to the GPU could improve performance in some titles, particularly those that stress VRAM. With more and faster RAM, the ROG Ally X has a lot more room. You can allocate a full 8GB to the GPU now, all while keeping 16GB reserved for the system.
Asus isn’t claiming better performance with the ROG Ally X, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s what we see in games like Forza Horizon 5, Hogwarts Legacy, and Resident Evil 4.
